Based on their excellent performances at the State Wildlife Habitat Education Program (WHEP) Contest on May 11th, Morin French (Howard), Katie Garst, Tori Mann, and Nick Parrish (Carroll), were selected to represent Maryland at the National WHEP Invitational. Teams representing 14 States met in Trafalgar, Indiana at the Indiana FFA Leadership Center to learn more about, and test their knowledge of, wildlife management strategies and ecological concepts. The Maryland Team arrived at the contest on Sunday, July 21st and got to meet the members of other state teams during the “share fair.” The next day the team participated in the educational fun day. In the morning, all participants were transported to an experimental site at Morgan-Monroe State Forest where experts from Purdue University and other scientists shared information about a long-term forest management study. Upon returning to the Leadership Center in the afternoon, the team was able to try their hand at a friendly competition involving several tools of the wildlife management trade: including GPS units, radio telemetry equipment, and pneumatic tranquilizer dart guns. On Tuesday, the day of the Contest, participants traveled off-site and were tested in several content areas which included wildlife identification, general ecological knowledge, wildlife management practices, and writing a management plan for specific species within a designated area. That evening, an awards banquet was held at the FFA Leadership Center. Katie Garst, from Carroll County, was awarded 1st place overall for the individual portion of the contest and the Maryland Team placed 4th overall out of 14 total teams. The team represented Maryland 4-H extremely well, had a great educational experience, and is very excited to see the program expand in Maryland.

Katie Garst, from Carroll County, was awarded 1st place overall for the individual portion of the contest.

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